Yesterday things looked normal. Today... weird bump! How did it get there? Make it go away! Relax and follow this advice.

If you feel a hard, pea-size bump back there, it could be a swollen lymph node. These glands, located throughout the body, "engage the troops to send out cells to respond to an infection, inflammation, or allergic reaction in the body," says Francesca Fusco, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. A lump just under your hairline could mean you have an infection on your scalp. A swollen lymph node in your groin area, on the other hand, could be a sign of a down-there infection or an ingrown hair on your bikini line. Either way, if the swelling doesn't go down within a week or it gets progressively bigger, redder, or more tender in a few days, see your doctor, who may prescribe an antibiotic.

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You spot... a bump on the white of your eye.

Don't panic--it's harmless. That yellowish, slightly raised area on the white of your eyeball is called a pinguecula, and it can be caused by overexposure to dust, wind, or UVA and UVB rays. If you spend a lot of time outside, make sure you protect yourself: Keep eyes moist with drops, and never leave home without your UV-blocking wraparound shades. While the bump typically doesn't go away, it is benign and rarely grows to the point where it would bother your vision.

You spot... bumps on your tongue.

These small red or white bumps are often called lie bumps. Why? Because there's a myth that telling a whopper could bring them on. But the real cause is often an irritation of the taste buds that may happen if you eat something spicy or sharp, like crusty bread. Stress may also bring them on, Fusco says. The official name is transient lingual papillitis (TLP). Although your tongue might feel a little tender, TLP is usually nothing to worry about and goes away without treatment after a few days. In case you're wondering, it's not contagious--so there's no medical reason to stop smooching.

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